Lots of good advice here.
I'd add the following though. Bear in mind this advice is coming from the UK and therefore uses UK law. However, I would imagine that there is comparable law in the US if you look for it.
I've reduced £ 16,000 (about $ 28,000) of debt down to £ 6,000 (about $ 10,000) in the space of just a few months and the key to this is knowing how the banks and credit card companies work, how they apply their fees, penalty charges, the legality of such, the economic science behind such, the purpose of debt and so on. It's like many things on Steve's site which emphasize that the world is not as it is presented in mainstream media. There are higher and lower ways to view debt in terms of consciousness, and you have to learn about it at the higher level. Whilst you continue to try clearing debt at a mass level of conscoiusness then the creditors will always have the upper hand because you will feel morally and ethically bound to work to pay it off when in fact this is THE SLOWEST AND WORST method to do so.
Consumer Action Group - Welcome MoneySavingExpert: Consumer Revenge - Credit Cards, Shopping, Bank Charges, Cheap Flights and more
On the first link do a search on the term CCA Request. Remember there will be a US equivalent called something similar.
Peace, Vipa.
